Booked My First Wedding Cake!! Pros Share Tips? (Long)
Business By sayhellojana Updated 25 Jan 2009 , 4:34pm by Deb_
Cake forte - I never thought about using the trunk to deliver. I use strong supports - I've heard too many horror stories not to! It is a fondant cake so I dont think chilling will be my best option, but I will deffinantly keep that in mind for future buttercream cakes.
cakesbycathy - I am asking the bride to check with her venue. The wedding & reception will be at a small church and I belive her mother in law is catering it so I doubt there will be a problem w/ delivery, but it never hurts to make sure.
Also - to clarify the "i'm not liscenced" issue. I called my local health department and my understanding is that it that you do not need a license to sell from your home in AZ. I keep a very, very clean kitchen and am not selling a sub-par product.
Jana--I've only done one wedding cake, and it was for a close friend. I'm not really in the business, I'm more of a hobbyist. Anyway, the cake was a 3 tier square, 14, 10, and 6. The wedding was on a Saturday. I prepared my fillings and icing on Wednesday; I baked on Thursday; and I decorated on Friday. I delivered the cake unstacked and allowed myself time to stack it on site. The smartest move I made was bringing my mom with me as an extra set of hands and eyes.
I hope it all goes extremely well for you. It really is a wonderful feeling to be able to add to someone else's special day.
Also - to clarify the "i'm not liscenced" issue. I called my local health department and my understanding is that it that you do not need a license to sell from your home in AZ. I keep a very, very clean kitchen and am not selling a sub-par product.
To make sure that misinformation isn't given out to the masses, I can absolutely 100% assure you that a permit is required in Maricopa County to operate a legal foodservice business.
You should contact the Maricopa County Department of Environmental services and let them know that you would like the information about opening a food establishment in Maricopa County. You can also get a copy of the Food Code from maricopacounty.gov. It's boring reading but it will tell you everything you need to know.
Good luck!
Piece of Cake - I love your cakes! I'm on your site all the time!!
I will call again then. The person I spoke with didn't sound very knowledgeable. Permit? Is that different than a license? I will look into it. I will call Dep. of Environmental - I had called health department.
(And BTW - if you ever need some help around your amazing bakery...I'm just a call away! lol)
Thanks for your kind words! I know all this from experience. We were renting space from a caterer a few years ago, using a totally legal kitchen and we got a call from Maricopa DES informing us that were were illegal because we never filed for a permit with our name on it (we had previously got some bad information and took it as fact). Fortunately they gave us a break because we were at least working out of an approved kitchen but I learned a helluva lot about the food code in the following weeks, that's for sure!
You aren't the first to get bad information by calling them... I swear 1/3 of the people that work there will say anything just to get you off of the phone quicker.
We will certainly keep you in mind in the future. Best of luck!
It isn't just Arizona that's confusing, if you call for licensing information in my state you'll get different answers depending on who's answering the phone. It's best to be on the safe side and get every permit that you can just to cover yourself. Government is really good for coming after you when they think you owe a fine, even if they gave you the wrong information in the first place!
I've been told different things when I called the health department. I tried calling DES and got transferred to three or four different recorded messages, finally tried to get an operator and no one was available. I'll call back in a bit. If I can get a permit or some legal document allowing me to sell cakes I absolutely will. I don't plan to sell a huge number of cakes and I don't plan on doing this permanently. I'm honestly just trying to get a feel for the business and see if culinary school or a bakery is in my future. If nothing else, I get to make cakes and some extra cash.
Piece of Cake - I really appreciate your help and support.
This has nothing to do with the original post. FlowergirlMN it says that you are not registered. How does that work? I couldn't post anything on CC until I was a registered user. I'm just curious because I notice details like that. Don't take offense, and I'm not trying to get anyone flamed.
Jibbies
Oh, here's one. Have a notepad and pen laid out ready for you to jot down the items you will need to pack up in the vehicle or for anything you need/want to do.
Excellent suggestion. As a caterer, you can imagine all of the stuff I have to pack, so I take this a step further. I make my list and have columns to check off with "purchased" .... "staged" (which means it's lined up ready to pack OR it's been packed in one of the plastic tubs that I use to transport equipment) ..... and finally, "packed". Nothing worse than getting to a job and realizing that you forgot to put that one bin in the van! So I might have PACKED it ..... now I have to remember to actually LOAD it!
I've not done a wedding cake, but when I do a cake (whoever it is for) I would suggest start w/ a clean kitchen. not that you wouldn't clean it. But working in your home it's easy to have the mail on the counter or your dh's dishes in the sink. I guess clutter free is more what I mean.
I like making my buttercream well in advance so I don't have that powdered sugar puff everywhere. Plus, I only have one KA and don't like to have to turn around & wash dishes again & again & again. Also spreading out baking, icing, fillings etc keeps the frustration down on dishes. Also, like suggested, if any gumpaste/fondant accents are needed you can work on them way in advance. Make more fondant/icing than you think you'll need, especially if it's colored--I'm still trying to get it down pat on how much I need for different size cakes.
Keep a running list on the fridge (I suggest the little magnet clips & a magnet on a pen so you have it handy).
If you have a family suggest they go out to eat (yes w/out you) and maybe shopping, movie, etc on the night you'll do the decorating. Nothing worse than hearing Spongebob's theme song a zillion times plus squealing & your dh's tv &/or computer, etc This way you can have the space to yourself & crank up your music or have it peaceful. I also tell mine---don't come back until bedtime & they'll be going straight to bed after I give them a kiss.
Mine aren't as helpful as others, but glad I came across this post!
This has nothing to do with the original post. FlowergirlMN it says that you are not registered. How does that work? I couldn't post anything on CC until I was a registered user. I'm just curious because I notice details like that. Don't take offense, and I'm not trying to get anyone flamed.
Jibbies
Jibbies, you would make a great detective, I didn't even notice that until you pointed it out.
Anyone know what "not registered" means? I can't tell if Leahs is pulling our leg or if she's serious .
Sorry to get off subject of the original post...........but now I'm curious.
Wow So you can be banned but still allowed to post? What exactly do they ban you from doing?
Wow So you can be banned but still allowed to post? What exactly do they ban you from doing?
No she can't post. They have not deleted all her posts, that's just how her status is listed now.
...wonder what flower girl got banned for?
One thing I have found very helpful when making a wedding cake is having multiple lazy susans/turntables. I just do tier by tier on their own turntable and then take them off when it is time to assemble. It certainly beats taking a cake off the turntable and putting it somewhere else so you can get another one on there to frost/decorate it. And its less movement for the cake.
Looks like flowergirl got into some hot water in her "anyone know of a forum" thread. It's in the cake decorating business forum. Uh oh!
jana, please check out the "officially embarassed" thread in the Cake Disasters Forum if you haven't already.
It's about a home baker that is not licensed but advertises with a web site and in the yellow pages. A customer turned her in to the health dept. I immediately thought of you and your website, I don't want this to happen to you so please be careful and maybe take down your site until you get some definitive answers from your health dept.
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